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Histoire de l'Art dans l'Antiquité (1890) : Tome 5 (Perse Phrygie, Lydie, Lycie)

By Chipiez C. Perrot G. Sassanian King Khosrau I (Chosrowes)'s Palace (Shâhigân-é Sepid) & Arch of Chosrowes -  Madaa'in (Ctesiphon), Irak :      

Sassanid  Gold-Silver Plate         Ctesiphon   was one of the great cities of ancient Mesopotamia, and was located on the east bank of the Tigris, across the river from the Hellenistic city of Seleucia. Ctesiphon was an imperial capital of the Arsacids (Parthians) and of their successors, the Sassanids. For more than 800 years, the city lay in the ancient Iranian province of Khvarvaran.

Today, the ruins of Ctesiphon lie in Iraq, approximately 35 km south of the city of Baghdad (Baghdad is Bagh [god, in ancient persian, like: magh = priest]  Daad , meaning "God Given" city). Ctesiphon is first mentioned in the Book of Ezra of the Old Testament as Kasfia/Casphia (a cognate of Caspian and Qazvin). In the 6th century, the Ctesiphon was the largest city in the world. The Latin name 'Ctesiphon' or 'Ctesifon'  or  Greek 'T(h)esifon' or  'Ktesiphon'  is attested in Manichean Parthian, in Sassanid Middle Persian and in Christian Sogdian as Pahlavi word  "Tyspawan ", continuing in New Persian as 'Tissfoon' . In medieval Arabic texts the name is usually 'Taysafun', in Modern Arabic 'Madain', 'Maden' or 'Al-Mada'in '.

Ctesiphon measured 30 square kilometers (compare to 13.7 square kilometers of 4th century imperial Rome). The only visible remain is the "Great Arch of Khossrow (Chosrowes)" or Taq-i Kisra located in what is now the Iraqi town of Salman Pak (Salman the Persian).

Ctesiphon rose to prominence during the Parthian Empire in the first century BC.,  Strabo abundantly describes its foundation:

In ancient times Babylon was the metropolis of Assyria; but now Seleuceia is the metropolis, I mean the 'Seleuceia on the Tigris', as it is called. Near by is situated a city called Ctesiphon, a large village. This city the kings of the Parthians founded to make their winter residence, thus sparing the Seleuceians, in order that the Seleuceians might not be oppressed by having the Scythian folk or soldiery quartered amongst them.

Because of the Parthian power, therefore, Ctesiphon is a city rather than a village; its size is such that it lodges a great number of people, and it has been equipped with buildings by the Parthians themselves; and it has been provided by the Parthians with wares for sale and with the arts that are pleasing to the Parthians; for the Parthian kings are accustomed to spend the winter there because of the salubrity of the air, but the summer at Ecbatana and in Hyrcania because of the prevalence of their ancient renown."

Because of its importance, Ctesiphon was a major military objective for the leaders of the Roman Empire in its eastern wars. The city was captured by Rome or by its successor state, the Byzantine Empire three times. About 325 and again in 410 the city was the site of church councils for the Church of the East. Ctesiphon fell to the Muslims during the Islamic conquest of Persia in 637 and  Salman Pak (Salman the Persian) was appointed it's first islamic governor. It is believed to be the basis for the city of Isbanir in the 'Thousand and One Nights' stories.

The splendor of the imperial palace complex at Ctesiphon, to include Khosraw I of Persia's palace (Shâhigân-i Sepid = the white palace, a four story building) and the great arch remain legendary. The Throne room—presumably under or behind the arch—was more than 110 ft high. The massive barrel vault covered an area of 80ft wide by 160 ft long, and was the largest vault ever constructed in Persia. The gold-thread woven carpet covering the main Hall of Reception of the King (called "Bahaarestaan) has been an amazing 200 by 60 ft , cut to 500 pieces or more by arab muslims when they fought each other for their part of booties .... !!

 

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  Publisher: Hachette. Number Of Pages: 965 Publication Date: 1890 ISBN-10 / ASIN: B0000DTJO1 ISBN-13 / EAN: Binding: Reliure inconnue

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